Week 5

Plans, consultations, meetings ... and some potential good news for Nairn station

IMFLDP

This will probably be the last time I mention the Inner Moray Firth Local Development Plan for a while as comments close at the end of the week but I have been admonished by a subscriber for showing a map that only showed sites in Nairn and nowhere else in the vast ward of Nairn & Cawdor.

To a great extent this is because the IMFLDP is primarily focused on Nairn.

For Cawdor for example it says:

With much of its infrastructure at capacity, limited range of facilities and poor public transport accessibility it is not suitable for significant levels of growth. There is opportunity, however, for small scale infill and rounding off developments within the village. Any development needs to be designed to a high architectural standard to protect the distinct character of the existing settlement.

… so I don’t think people in Cawdor need to be too concerned.

However there is one other community which is affected by the IMFLDP and that’s Auldern where it proposes one site for residential development, AU01, which is shown on the map below and on which you may want to comment.

It is however worth bearing in mind that if residential, business, and industrial development is permitted on site NA05 in Nairn then this will probably affect Auldern as traffic heading east is likely to try to use the B9101 to get to the A96 and so you may want to comment on that.

Nairn Academy

The long awaited public consultation on the new school build is happening this Wednesday, 15th June from 4pm to 7pm. Come along and meet the architects, planners, Highland Council representatives, and the Nairn Academy team to hear about their plans for the new school.

Nairn Library Petition

I’ve written here before about the proposal to move Nairn Library to the new Nairn Academy so just to mention that the petition opposing this closes on Thursday. You can sign it online here or in Ashers Baker (both shops), Pat Frasers, Flower Shop, Wool Shop, Vintage & Vinyl, Book Shop, Isla’s Hairdresser, Duncan & Todd, or Crafty Wee Birdie.

Full Council

We had our second full council meeting on Thursday. Like the first it was largely procedural: putting everyone into committees and agreeing the salaries for those who get extra money (like the leader, leader of opposition, strategic committee chairs etc).

Of the major committees I'm now on the Corporate Resources, Audit and Scrutiny, and Southern Planning Applications Committees and also the Licensing Board (which considers alcohol related licences) and Licensing Committee (everything else licensed by council, from taxis to pole dancing clubs(!)).

Turning to the more “minor” committees I’m on the Pensions Committee and I'm an H&I Valuations Joint Board substitute and I’ve also asked to go on the Harbours Management Board.

In addition to the above I'm going to be a director of Highland Investment Opportunity Ltd which is a company owned by Highland Council.

So that should keep me busy …

Accessibility at Nairn station

The accessibility of Nairn station has been a long running issue so it was good to see this exchange at Portfolio Question Time at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday where the issue of disabled access at railway stations was raised with the Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth MSP. This is the exchange (my emboldening):

6. Marie McNair (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to make railway stations accessible for disabled people. (S6O-01195)

The Minister for Transport (Jenny Gilruth): Even though accessibility remains a reserved matter, Transport Scotland continues to seek to improve accessibility as part of wider rail enhancements and the decarbonisation programme. New stations at Inverness airport and at Hairmyres, on the East Kilbride route, and the two on the Leven line, will be fully accessible. The Scottish Government will also provide funding for step-free access at Aviemore, Pitlochry, Nairn and Kingussie stations. [...]

Dates for your diary

Cawdor and West Nairn Community Council meets on Monday, 13th June at 7pm at Cawdor Community Centre (which is located at the primary school). They are holding three meetings in one night: an inaugural meeting which was postponed from April, their AGM, and then their June meeting. These are public meetings so you are welcome to attend.

As previously mentioned a walkabout meeting in Boath Park area, organised by Highland Council participation officer Catriona Sutherland is happening this Tuesday, 14th June from 11am to 1pm to get the views of residents on their thoughts and aspirations of living in the area. Meet at the grassed area on Househill Terrace opposite Camperdown Road.

Sadly I won’t be able to attend this as it clashes with (yet more) training I need to do as a new councillor. Hopefully I will be able to attend future walkabouts.

As mentioned above Nairn Academy public consultation on the new school build is happening this Wednesday, 15th June from 4pm to 7pm.